


dreams of you and mistletoe

by waveridden



Category: Friends at the Table (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Inspired by Hallmark Christmas Movies, M/M, Season: Spring in Hieron, there's Ephrim/Maelgwyn but as per the Hallmark formula they break up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:27:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21963556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waveridden/pseuds/waveridden
Summary: Ephrim makes a face despite himself. Throndir catches it immediately. “You’re not a Christmas person?”
Relationships: Ephrim/Throndir (Friends at the Table)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 26
Collections: 2019 AU December Challenge





	dreams of you and mistletoe

**Author's Note:**

  * For [marquis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/marquis/gifts).



> This fic is part of the AUcember series, a self-made challenge where I try to write a new AU one-shot every day. You can read all of the AUcember fics in the collection linked above. Title is from One More Sleep by Leona Lewis, the best Christmas song of the modern era.

1.

The engine of Ephrim’s car is smoking. Not lightly smoking, not the kind of smoke that he can deal with or ignore for a little while longer, but smoking thick and black and heavy. It’s getting hard to breathe, actually, and he wraps his scarf over his face as he stares at his car.

He fumbles with his cell phone. It takes a lot of effort to tear his eyes away from his car, so at first he doesn’t understand why his insurance app isn’t working. But when he finally manages to look at the screen, his stomach drops.

“No service, of course,” he mutters. For a second he considers kicking the car, but it’s not the car’s fault that today is going… like this.

Really, he thinks, it’s Maelgwyn’s fault. He’d been so understanding about Ephrim having to work over the holidays; he’s always been so understanding that Ephrim doesn’t want to make a big deal out of Christmas. But as the actual holidays had gotten closer and closer, he’d started being snarkier and sharper and more rude. When Ephrim’s flight across the country had been canceled, Maelgwyn had laughed at him.  _ Laughed. _

So Ephrim did what anyone would do. He decided to drive. Without taking his car to a mechanic first. Given that his car is now smoking heavily on the side of a one-lane highway in the middle of nowhere without cell service, he’s willing to admit that this wasn’t the right choice to make.

He takes a deep breath. He thinks there’s supposed to be a town, not far ahead - a couple miles, and that’s not ideal, but still something that’s walkable. He takes a minute to breathe deep and steel himself for the longest walk he’s ever had to take. God, he hopes nobody tries to steal his car or something while he’s gone, then he’s really going to be up a creek without a paddle.

He’s so focused on trying to talk himself into the walk that he doesn’t notice the truck until it’s already pulled over on the other side of the highway. His heart leaps into his throat. Don’t bad things happen in the middle of nowhere like this? Is he about to become an episode of one of those shitty small town true crime TV shows?

“Wow, your engine’s fucked,” says the guy driving the truck. He hops out and goes over to the hood of Ephrim’s car without asking first, and normally Ephrim would be annoyed, but the guy at least seems to know a thing or two about engines. It certainly doesn’t hurt that he’s attractive, bright green eyes, a little chubby. “You alright?”

Ephrim blinks. “Uh, fine,” he says slowly. “It just… started doing this.”

“Yeah, I can see.” He waves a hand and dispels some of the smoke, which is dissipating anyways now that the car is turned off. “Well, I have good news and bad news.”

“Bad news first, I can take it.”

“I don’t know a thing about cars,” truck guy says cheerfully. “But the good news is I’m friends with the mechanic in town, and she has a tow truck. Need a lift?”

“Yes,” Ephrim says, before he can think about consequences at all. “Thank you, by the way.”

“Hey, it’s no problem.” He sticks a hand out - his left, because he’s apparently pretty observant. “I’m Throndir.”

“Ephrim.”

“I’ve already got someone in shotgun, but you’re welcome to hop in the backseat.”

Ephrim looks in the passenger seat. There is, at first glance, what appears to be a bear.

“What the fuck,” he says. Then the bear barks, and he blinks, and oh, it’s not a bear, it’s just a massive dog. “That’s… wow.”

Throndir laughs. “Yeah, I get that a lot.”

#

2.

“Two days, tops,” Hella says. “Hope you don’t mind being stuck here till Christmas Eve.”

Ephrim lets out a slow, measured breath. Two days. With any luck he can get out of here early on the 24th, and if he drives like hell then he has plenty of time to get where he needs to go. He doesn’t have to miss the meeting after all.

Slowly, he nods. “Is there a hotel in town?” He pauses, considering. “Or is it, like, an inn or a bed and breakfast or something?”

Hella’s eyebrows rise. “Wow, okay, city boy. Small towns can have hotels, but you don’t need to worry about that.”

“Why’s that?”

She turns to the door just as Throndir comes back through, smiling cheerfully. “I don’t know how you take your coffee, so I just got you hot chocolate,” he says, and holds out a cup to Ephrim. He takes it, too surprised to say thank you, and Throndir hands the other cup to Hella. “What’s the verdict?”

Hella is one of the scariest people Ephrim has ever met in real life. She’s tall as fuck, and her arms are about the size of Ephrim’s torso. But when she smiles at Throndir, she looks like a completely different person, fonder and softer. She takes a sip of her coffee and says, “Two days.”

Throndir makes a face and glances at Ephrim. “Are you still going to be able to get to your work thing?”

“I’ve got it under control,” Ephrim says automatically. “I’ll make some calls, it’ll be okay.”

“Good,” Throndir says sympathetically. Ephrim likes Throndir, although it’s hard to say why. Normally people like Throndir drive him insane, people who are gracious for grace’s sake and so completely guileless. Maybe he’s just relieved that Throndir actually stopped for him when he needed help.

“Thanks again for the ride,” Ephrim says, for lack of anything else to say.

“Of course,” Throndir says. Then he tilts his head, a strange look on his face. “But where are you going to stay?”

Ephrim opens his mouth to ask about hotels, because like hell is he committing that same gaffe in front of Throndir, but Hella cuts him off before he can. “I think that place uptown is full,” she says. It’s a careful, neutral statement, but something about it sets alarm bells off in Ephrim’s head.

Sure enough, Throndir’s brows furrow for a second, but then his face clears. “You can stay with me!”

“What,” Ephrim says.

“I have a guest room, and I’m not far from town, so you’re welcome to explore if you get bored on the farm.”

_ “Farm?” _

“Throndir runs the local Christmas tree farm,” Hella explains. Ephrim gives Throndir a startled look, but he just shrugs. “It’s a nice place, and it’s probably cheaper than that place uptown.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t charge you,” Throndir says, surprised. “It’s just two days, right?”

“Right,” Ephrim says slowly. He genuinely can’t tell how much of a choice he has in this situation, but he can’t say that he minds the idea of spending a couple days with Throndir. Even if those few days are on a Christmas tree farm. Ugh, he hopes Throndir isn’t one of those people who’s super weird about Christmas.

“Great!” Throndir claps his hands together. “I’m going to go back home and make sure the guest room is set up. Hella, I’m assuming you need some time to go over invoices and stuff.”

Hella shrugs. “Sure, if you don’t mind coming back to pick him up.”

“Not at all. I’ll make sure Kodiak doesn’t drool on your pillows.”

“Are you sure you don’t need me to pay?” Ephrim says, because it feels… polite. He certainly won’t say no to a free place to stay, especially now that he also has to consider paying for car repairs.

Throndir waves him off. “Don’t worry about it,” he says, with that same guileless sincerity. “I’ll be back in an hour or something, okay?”

“Go,” Hella says, exasperated and fond. Throndir shoots her a cheeky grin and heads out. She turns back to Ephrim, face dropping into something serious. “You’re going to pay him, right?”

“He said-”

“Ephrim,” Hella says, gratingly polite, and takes a step closer. She is much, much taller than him. “You’re going to pay Throndir for letting you stay in his house. Right?”

“Right,” Ephrim says.

Hella smiles. It doesn’t look nearly as friendly as before. “Great,” she says. “Let’s go over your bill.”

#

3.

“It’s just for one more day,” Ephrim snaps. He’s been trying so hard not to be annoyed about this, but he forgot how weird Maelgwyn gets about… about  _ plans. _ “And then I’ll be driving to the meeting, and driving back.”

“Driving back,” Maelgwyn repeats. “Why do you have to do this? You could’ve just rescheduled your flight.”

“That costs an arm and a leg.”

“So does getting your car fixed. And thanks so much for waiting until the next morning to tell me that you’re stranded in the middle of nowhere.”

“Thanks for checking in to make sure I’m alive,” Ephrim says, because he’s more than willing to admit he’s an asshole. But he thinks he’s allowed to be annoyed that his boyfriend didn’t notice him going radio silent. He’s allowed to be annoyed about pretty much this whole situation.

The only part that isn’t annoying is Throndir. He’s been so generous with his time, constantly offering to take Ephrim into town in case he needs anything and make sure he’s settling in. Ephrim had tried to take him out to dinner as a thank you, and Throndir had still insisted on splitting the check. He doesn’t know why Hella thinks that he’s going to be able to pay Throndir; he’s pretty sure he could offer a literal million dollars and still get turned down.

Maelgwyn huffs loudly, drawing Ephrim’s attention back to him. “I’m glad you’re okay,” he says. It sounds like it’s being dragged out of him through gritted teeth. “But Jesus Christ, Eph, there’s no way you’re actually stuck here. Maybe you’re just not thinking clearly.”

Something angry sparks in Ephrim’s chest, white-hot. “Excuse me?”

“You’re obviously distracted by something-”

“By my car breaking down, Maelgwyn!”

“I’m just saying, you’re being dramatic about this.”

Ephrim takes a sharp breath. They’re both dramatic, and they both know it, but for some goddamn reason it’s always a weapon that Maelgwyn uses against him.

“I’ll let you know when I leave,” he says, short and sharp, and hangs up before Maelgwyn can get a word in edgewise. This is fucking exhausting, but at least he can shut his notifications off and ignore everything until he’s ready to deal with it.

He sighs and rolls his shoulders, trying to force himself to look casual. He wanders out of his bedroom and over to the kitchen, where, as suspected, Throndir is waiting with two bowls of cereal. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Throndir says, and grimaces. “So, uh, for transparency’s sake, I feel like I should tell you that I heard that whole thing.”

“Sounds right,” Ephrim sighs. He sits down across from Throndir. He can’t remember the last time he actually sat down to eat breakfast by himself, let alone with someone else. There’s something nice about it. “Sorry you had to hear that.”

“Sorry your brother’s an asshole.”

“Boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend?” Throndir repeats incredulously. Ephrim arches an eyebrow, and for a second he swears that Throndir  _ blushes. _ “I just mean- it didn’t sound like he was being particularly understanding, that’s all.”

Ephrim shrugs. Things have been on the rocks for a while now, and he can admit that to himself, but it’s something else entirely to say it out loud. He takes a bite of cereal and decides he needs a subject change, so he says, “How did you end up owning a Christmas tree farm?”

“Technically I don’t own it.” Throndir half-smiles. “I’m just maintaining it for a friend. His kid wanted to move to the city, so they’re living there for a few years. It’ll be his as soon as he comes back.”

“But not just anyone can own a farm.”

Throndir shrugs. “I used to live in a pretty small town, even smaller than this. And I did a lot of odd jobs, including farm work. And Jack’s a pretty good teacher, so…” he shrugs again, but he’s smiling now. “Christmas central.”

Ephrim makes a face despite himself. Throndir catches it immediately. “You’re not a Christmas person?”

“It’s annoying,” Ephrim says, which doesn’t even begin to encapsulate his feelings towards Christmas. “It’s just not for me.”

“You know you can celebrate a normal amount, right? You don’t have to put reindeer antlers on your car or listen to Blue Christmas on repeat or anything.” Throndir pauses. “Or just celebrate Hanukkah or something.”

Ephrim shrugs. “It’s not for me,” he says again.

Throndir just nods. “Well, the farm’s closed today, but I have some errands to run in town. You’re welcome to come with me, even if you don’t run the errands with me.”

“That’d be nice,” Ephrim says, then frowns. “Christmas is in two days. Don’t people want their Christmas trees?”

Throndir shakes his head. “Pretty much everyone who wants a tree has one at this point.”

“What about the people who want one but don’t have one?”

His eyes spark mischievously. “They come tomorrow. It’s the busiest day of the season.”

Ephrim laughs although he can’t exactly say what about that is so funny. But Throndir sits back, looking pleased with himself, and Ephrim kind of feels like he did the right thing by laughing. It’s a nice change of pace.

**Author's Note:**

> For Tam. You're the only reason I know literally anything about Hallmark movies, and I wouldn't have it any other way. (Also, I swear to god, I have had this mentally planned out for over a month, it really is just a coincidence that our gifts line up.)
> 
> Come say hi on Tumblr/Twitter @waveridden!


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